African American Slaves

Discussions of who shall be counted.

• Southerners believed that their economy depended on the slave trade and the slaves.
• The original Declaration of Independence didn't allow slavery, so the Southern states didn't sign until it was removed
• The delegates at the convention were forced to change the document

How slaves would be counted for representation?

• Southerners wanted the slaves to be counted for seats in Congress for states, but not for levying taxes
• The Northern states wanted it different
• The Northern states thought the Southern states should be counted for both or neither

What issues did this cause?

• The Southern states declared that they would walk out of the convention if they didn't allow slavery
• Similar arguments were made at the Second Continental Congress
• The Convention was at a standstill

How it was resolved?

• The proposal: slaves could be imported for 20 years after the Declaration of Independence was ratified
• After that slaves would be illegal
• The delegates came up with the 3/5 Compromise
• Under the 3/5 compromise, slaves would be counted 3/5 of a person for both purposes
• By counting 3 out of 5 slaves there would be some balance of representation in the North and the South
• This was good because Southern delegates feared that the North dominated Congress.
• African American Slaves

Women

What were the discussions?

• Women were excluded from protection of the Bill of Rights
• During the convention the delegates decided that the states would make a decision on whether women could vote or not
• Women in all states lost their voting rights
• The Constitution ignored the rights of women
• Women couldn't own land

What issues did this Cause?

• Women wanted to start their own conventions
• Women became upset and had protests

How was this resolved?

• Women wouldn't get the right to vote until 1920 in the 19th Amendment
• The amendment stated that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote are not denied by any state on account of sex"
• Many women held a convention at Seneca Falls of 1848 for the demand of women's suffrage
• Women
• 

Native Americans

What were the discussions at the Convention?

• The Indians wanted to keep their land
• The settlers were moving westward into the Indians territory causing conflicts
• The delegates didn't want the Indians to be accounted for or have rights

What issues did this cause?

• The British were helping the Indians with ammunition to fight off the settlers
• War was erupting

How was this resolved?

• Years after the Declaration of Independence was signed the U.S. sent in an army to attack the Indians
• Settlers began moving westward again
• In 1790 they came up with the Indian Intercourse Act
• Which was also allowed the right to some land
• Native Americans